By Staff
This week I wanted to get into some information about the small Santa Rosa County community of Coon Hill. About all that is left is the old Coon Hill Cemetery, but it once was a thriving community made up of several families who were descended from ancestors who came from Scotland. The McDavid, McMillan, McDaniel and McCaskill families, along with Williams, Flowers and Diamond families all have connections with each other and many are buried at the Coon Hill Cemetery.
I have not done anything on the McDavid family, that I can remember, so I thought I would give you some history on them.
John Mattison McDavid married Annie Allen and their son was John Allen McDavid. John Allen McDavid's son was Richmond Terrell McDavid (3 Dec. 1805-27 June 1871) who is buried at Coon Hill. Richmond T. McDavid married about 1827 to Sarah McCaskill (24 March 1805-4 July 1879), daughter of Finlay and Margaret McCaskill.
The information I have on Richmond says that he moved from South Carolina when he was a small boy. The family came by horseback and Richmond was tied on a horse between two feather beds. They first settled in Clarke County and then moved, in either 1816 or 1817, to Escambia County, Fla., to a point four miles south of Walnut Hill and just west of Pine Barren. They moved to Walton County, Fla., in 1822 and settled on a lake, which was named McDavid's Lake for many years and is now Florala. They moved to Santa Rosa County, Fla., about 1837.
Their first and second child were born while they were living in Walton County. The oldest was named Joel Alexander McDavid (16 June 1830-16 June 1907), and is buried at Coon Hill. He married 28 Sept. 1852 to Sabra Williams (17 Sept. 1833-9 Jan. 1919), daughter of William Williams and Margaret McMillan.
The other children of Richmond T. McDavid and Sarah McCaskill were, Margaret A. McDavid (13 April 1833-6 Aug. 1924), who married Wiley James Williams, son of William Williams and Margaret McMillan; James Exum McDavid (10 Feb. 1835-4 Aug. 1907) who married first to Margaret Cameron and second to Mary Ann Cameron; Richmond Terrell McDavid Jr (21 April 1837-8 Jan. 1874); John Allen McDavid (31 July 1839-25 July 1905); David A. McDavid (9 April 1842-22 May 1910); Henry Clay McDavid (22 April 1845-16 Feb. 1933); Daniel F. McDavid (26 April 1848-26 Feb. 1909); Mary Elizabeth McDavid (26 April 1848-14 March 1880); and William C. McDavid (6 Jan. 1850-8 Nov. 1925).
Joel Alexander McDavid and his wife, Sarah McCaskill, were the parents of Albert McDavid (2 Jan. 1852) who married Anna McArthur; Margaret McDavid (28 July 1853-6 Dec. 1937) who married James H. Diamond; Clementine McDavid (17 July 1855-1874); R. Beauregard McDavid (29 Sept. 1861-1940) who married Laura Feagin; David D. McDavid (25 April 1865-12 Feb. 1926) who married Mattie McCaskill; Mamie McDavid (25 April 1865-1 Jan. 1933); Ida McDavid (15 Aug. 1867) who married Edward Leroy McDaniel; Fannie McDavid (25 Nov. 1868) who married Joseph F. Harrison; Allie McDavid (18 Dec. 1874) who married Phillip Golay Caro; Wiley J. McDavid (18 Dec. 1874-who married Maud Duncan and Walter D. McDavid (15 Dec. 1877) who married Elizabeth Wilkinson.
Next week I will continue with this family.
Lydia Grimes can be reached @lydia.grimes@brewtonstandard.com.